Treatment of mating disorders

Over the last few weeks, we have been discussing all those reasons, psychological and physical, why dogs will not mate. Before we document the treatment I think it is a good idea to have a bit of deliberation on when and whether we should at all treat ‘difficult breeders’.

There are many who point out that since inadequacies/impairments of the mating partners are often genetically anchored, we should not perpetuate the problem by intervening surgically, psychiatrically, and otherwise (eg hormone injections) to solve the problem.  For example, if the bitch has an anatomical defect of any part or parts of her reproductive tract, should we attempt to correct this physical abnormality/deformity, so as to ensure production of offspring? It is not the same as, say, surgically removing an extra dew-claw (toe), which is genetic, but which has nothing to do with reproduction and is not a major defect.

Of course, on the other hand, breeders (possibly driven by financial motivation) and veterinarians (trained to correct abnormalities) argue that it is ethically right to improve the